April 26, 2012

Dinner Date, Rain, Jaeger Schnitzel, and a Magic Sweater

I thought this post would be short and sweet since it details a short and sweet date with my husband - 1.5 hours alone together to be exact. But my wordsmith skills aren't in tip top shape at the moment and I can't decide on a unified theme. There are 3 themes here - it's driving the former lit major in me crazy - but I'm just gonna go with it.

Theme 1: Trapped in 1999

My husband is my high school sweetheart. When we're together, we can be our 17 year old selves again. We can be silly in the middle of the sidewalk in a rainstorm as I force him to take photos of me for this post. We can eat at a German restaurant and talk about our time studying abroad in Europe like it was yesterday.

Alone with my handsome hubby for first time in ages.

But it can also be a crutch to avoid embracing new styles as times change since we're not trying to attract a mate and basically have carte blanche to not give a crap. My husband has had the same haircut our entire relationship, though thankfully he ditched the frosted tips once we rang in the new millenium. I still dress like a kid sometimes - mismatched clothes, flagrant disregard to fashion rules I judge others based on, not caring about chipped nail polish, etc. Would this be the case if we didn't have each other? Probably not.

If it was really 1999, we *might've* stolen this stein.

That brings us to...

Theme 2: My "date night" outfit

This was an impromptu date thanks to a late afternoon visit from Savvy's Grandpa and Nonna, where we trudged through the heavy rain to a senior-citizen-esque 5:30pm dinner at Heidelberg (2nd Ave between 85th & 86th).

I went super casual: Leggings, soft top and the best sweater ever with mismatched accessories out of convenience, thus removing all smartness from the outfit. That's okay.

These boots are a conscious act of fashion rebellion. I will not conform to the Manhattanite Hunter Boot rainy day uniform. Well, maybe I will when this pair starts to leak...

This sweater is the best because it covers just enough butt to camouflage the leggings-as-pants faux pas. I don't own enough tunics, so I often wear short shirts with leggings and this magic sweater makes it okay.

Theme 3: German Staycation-y Goodness

The gray, damp, dreary weather gave me a hankering for gravy and meat. German comfort food at nearby Heidelberg restaurant was just what we needed. I identify with my German heritage more than my Italian and English ancestry probably because my Grandfather fed me a healthy diet of braised meat and savory sauces my whole life. This restaurant reminds me of every German grandparent's living room - dark, comfy-casual, and filled with knickknacks, a broken clock and old holiday decor. (Or maybe that's just MY grandparents...)

I always feel like there's a sadness surrounding everything German because of the country's mistakes (gross understatement) throughout history. And my time in Munich, while a transformative experience as it was my first time traveling alone, was also a bit lonely, exacerbated by dark, dreary December weather and a general sense of melancholy while discovering first hand the sordid history of the land of my roots. The rainy evening plus rustic ambience of the restaurant brought me right back in time. But man is the food good. Puts meat on your bones and makes you need a nap, good.

Jaeger Schnitzel at Heidelberg - creamy, wonderful, omg MEAT

Sauerbraten at Heidelberg - fork tender and tangy

Heidelberg is one last remnants of Yorkville's "Germantown" history. The food is excellent. The lunch specials are a bargain. If you haven't been, go for the sausages or the generously sauced entrees. And the beer, which takes 7 minutes to pour just like in Germany.

About Me

My blog finally has a theme y'all!
With expired passport in hand, my baby girl and I are jet-setting across the globe. Sounds fancy! Not really, because we're doing it all from our New York City home where everyday is a staycation and every cultural experience is a teaching moment for my city kid. Follow our journey.
(I used to write about observations and relationships with people, fashion and culture. So old posts from 2008-2010 reflect a wide range of themes.)